Agitator.



G. PEFPARD.

AGITATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1909.

mmm Ap?. 5, @91a Nvt-mma WLTNESSES.-

GREEN PEPPARD, OF DELTA, HLO, ASSGNE TG THE I-ELVETA MLK CGNDENSING COMPANY, A CORPRATEN 0F LLNIS.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRRIN Parrano, a citi- Vzen of the United States, residing at Delta, in the county of Fulton and State of Ghie, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Agitators; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

ln the production of condensed milk, the substance is, immediately after it is sealed up in cans, in a viscous or semi-fluid condition. It is desirable that the contents of the cans be vigorously agitated to reduce it to a fluid state. ln large establishments where great quantities of cans of condensed milk are produced daily, the manual handling and shaking of these cans is a tedious and expensive feature of the business.

My invention is designed to overcome the difliculties and objections here indicated by providing a machine adapted to receive a truck-load of filled cans, in their trays, as they come from the canning processes, and to vigorously shake the whole load at once, including the cans, trays and the truck. il attain these objects by means of the devices, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side-elevation of my machine; Fig. 2, a front end-elevation of the same seen from the left in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, a top-plan view of the gate hereinafter referred to.

Like numerals indicatie like parts throughout the drawings.

A rectangular frame of such. interior dimensions as to receive a truck loaded with trays of cans, consists of corner uprights 1, top-end pieces 2, top-side pieces 3, bottomend pieces t, and bottom-side pieces 5. ri'he bottom side-rails of the frame form a track to receive and guide truck-wheels, the track being on a level with the floor of the room Where the machine is installed. At each side the fra-me is provided with converging braces G secured at their converging ends to a stout plate 7. In the floor of the room where the machine is located and directly Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled June 25, 1909.

latented spr.. 5, figlia Serial No. 564,256.

beneath the machine is rectangular opening 8.

9 9 are a series of crank-like shafts or hangers,-in the present instance, for illustration, three in numberehaviu g their ends journaled, as at 10, in bearings secured to the floor at opposite sides of the opening 8, the shaft being bent downwardly and extending across beneath the frame of the machine. rlhe lower side-members of the frame rest upon these shafts or hangers, the side-bars and hangers oeing pivotally connected or journaled together, as at 11. lt will be seen that by reason of its pivotal support upon the transverse crank-like shafts 9, lthe frame of the machine may have a limited longitudinal reciprocatory movement, the frame at the saine time rising and falling in the arcs described by the lower part of the hangers 9. The longitudinal and vertical movement of the frame, above referred to, is obtained by means of the mechanism now to be described.

At the rear end of the machine, upon brackets 12, secured to the floor at opposite sides of the machine, is journaled a shaft 13 carrying a pulley or other suitable driving means 14. Upon the shaftI 13 are two cams or eccentrics 15, each carrying a. cam-strap 16 from which leads a cam-rod 1.7 pivotally connected, as at 1S, to stout bracket 19 projecting from the plate T. 'lhe shaft 13 being caused to revolve, the cams 15 disposed at opposite sides of the frame communicate to the frame a short, rapid, vibratory movement of the character above indicated. To relieve the device from too great shock or concussion, stout threaded horizontal rods 21 are connected to brackets 12, as at 20, and pass loosely through an opening in the brackets 19 at each side of the frame. @n each of the threaded rods 21, at opposite sides of the bracket 1), are two nuts 22 between which and the bracket are interposed coiled compression-springs 23, which alternately receive the shock of the thrust of the frame as it moves to and fro. rllhe tension of the springs 23 is adjustable by the movement of the nuts 2:2 upon the rod 21.

The trucks employed in Connection with my machine are preferably mounted upon two side-wheels disposed midway of the length of the truck, though other forms of truck will. answer. rEhe cans,-the contents of which are to be treated,-are handled in trays-indicated at A truck is loaded with these trays, as indicated in F ig. l, and is wheeled onto the track-rails lt is nouY necessary to secure the truck and its load rigidly in iXed position within the frame. This is accomplished follows: rEhe truck and its load are pushed against a broad vertical bar or plank 2U rigidly secured by cross-bars 2T to the rear corner uprights. T he front end ot' the trame is provided with a gate which is next closed. rEhis gate consists of a frame comprising side vertical members 2S and 2t) and top and bottom transverse-members 8G. The vertical members 2S are hinged, as at 3l, to one of the front corner uprights, the opposite upright member ot the gate being adapted for engagement at top and bottom with fastening devices rhe bottom and top cross-members 30 of the gate carry stout screws having at their outer end hand-wheels 3land pressing at their inner ends against a stout upright bar or plank 35 which rests against the outer end of the truck and its load. rihe gate being fastened, now by setting up the screws the truck and its load are tightly clamped longitudinally between the bars or planks 2(3-35. stout.- beam extends lengthwise and centrally ot the :trame of the machine, and secured at its ends to the upper end cross-bars 2. Stout vertical screws 33T are mounted iu this beam 36 and carry hand-nuts 3S by means of which the screws are moved vertically and caused to press downwardly upon a stout bar or plank which rests centrally and longitudinallyv upon the top oi the load upon the truck. The truck being supported centrally upon the wheels 24 accommodates itself readily to any unequal movement ot' the screws 3T. It will be seen that the truck and its load are now both longitudinally and vertically tightly clamped in position upon the pivotally supported trame, and that when the shaft 13 is caused to rotate, the trame with the truck and its load are rapidly and vigorously shaken to and tro, and up and down, and that the contents of the great number ot' cans carried by the truck are simultaneously and uniformly vigorously agitated.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

l. ln a cevice of the described character, a traine adapted for the support et' a truck and its load, pivotal supports for the trame.y means for securing the truck and its load rigidly to the trame, and means for shaking the trame upon its pivotal support.

2. in a device ot the described character, a trame, crank-like hangers for the trame, the angers being` adapted for the support ot the frame with its bottom in operative alinement with a floor, means for rigidly securing' to the trame a truck and its load, and means rior shaking the frame upon said hangers.

il. .ln a device of the described character, a irame adapted to receive a truck and its load, supports for the trame which permit a limited movement ot' the frame, means for rigidly clamping a truck and its load to the trame. means for shaking the frame upon its supports, and springs connected with the trame and which co-act with the shaking means.

s-, In a device ot the described character, a trame adapted to receive a truck and its load supports for the frame which permit the trame to be shaken thereon, vertical clamping screws and horizontal clamping screws tor securing the truck and its load in place` means for shaking the trame upon its support, and springs connected with the trame and which co-act with the shaking means.

5. A device of the described character, comprising a frame, supports for the frame which permit a limited movement of the ame. track-rails at the bottom ot the trame, means for rigidly securing a truck and its load in fixed relation to the frame, and means for shaking the trame upon its support.

Yln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

@RHIN PEPPARD.

ll'vitnesses EDWARD CAsLmi, CLARENCE BQWERMAN. 

